Norfolk island pine
Araucaria heterophylla
Also called Norfolk pine and Living Christmas tree
Houseplant · Trees & big statementsNot a true pine and not frost-hardy. Dropped lower branches never grow back, so keep the humidity up.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Once a weekDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Tender — no frost at all RHS H2, to 1°C
- Size
- 2 m tall · 1 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Norfolk Island
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- The lowest tier browns from the trunk outward rather than from the needle tips in — and a tier once shed never regrows.Branch loss from dry air · disorder
- The whorls stop sitting level and the leader tips toward the window — turn the pot a quarter every week before the curve sets.Lean toward the light · disorder